Generally the invention relates to a carrier designed primarily for the safe and economical transport of containers piggyback on vehicles. The piggyback carrier can be adjustable and may be designed to fit most vehicles having conventional type hitches.
A significant problem with transporting containers can be that the size of the container may be too large to fit into the type of vehicle typically owned or used. This may necessitate the use of a larger vehicle than desired even when the container is infrequently transported.
Another significant problem with transporting containers can be that the weight of the container may be too heavy to lift into the vehicle or to a piggyback position. This may require the use of additional labor or machinery to lift the container into the vehicle or into a piggyback position.
Another significant problem with transporting containers may be that the containers can shift in the vehicle causing distraction to the driver, instability with respect to the tracking of the vehicle, or damaging the vehicle or the hitch.
The present invention addresses each of the above-mentioned problems in a practical fashion. It also satisfies a long-felt but unresolved need to provide piggyback transport of containers, such as toolboxes, wherein a loaded cargo box weighing hundreds of pounds can be jacked up with a left and a right jack by one man, then rolled into the receiving hitch under the rear bumper of a vehicle.
Accordingly, the broad aspect of the invention can be to provide a piggyback carrier device and provide piggyback carrying techniques for transport of containers on a variety of vehicles.
A significant aspect of the invention can also be to provide a manner of lifting containers into the piggyback position on vehicles without having to use an undesired additional labor or machines.
Another significant aspect of the invention can be to provide stabilization elements which minimize the shifting of containers in the piggyback position.
Other aspects of this invention will appear from the following description and appended claims, reference being made to the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification wherein like reference characters designate corresponding parts in the several views.
A piggyback carrier for containers, including toolboxes and the like, can be used in numerous applications including using a Class 3 hitch in front or in the rear of a vehicle to hold a removable frame.
A frame is designed to support a container, or toolbox, or the like, during transport. It can provide a manner of attaching the toolbox to a vehicle for transport and remove it when not in transport. It can also include fittings at each end for removable jacks. It can also have fittings at each end for adjustable stabilizer bars. It can have a receiver tube permanently attached to the center. The frame is meant to be attached to the toolbox with four bolts.
An adjustable receiver tube can be designed to attach the frame-mounted container to the vehicle""s receiver hitch. The tube has one hole in the end that fits into the vehicle""s receiver hitch and is secured by means of a locking pin. The other end has several holes and is used for attaching the frame-mounted container or toolbox to the adjustable receiver tube. The multiple holes provide adjustability which may be necessary for use with different vehicles. A locking pin can be used to secure the frame-mounted toolbox to the adjustable receiver tube.
The two removable jacks fit on each end and can be used to raise and lower the frame-mounted container, such as a toolbox, while it is being attached or removed from the vehicle. The removable jacks can be removed once the frame-mounted toolbox is secured to the vehicle.
The two adjustable jack feet fit onto the shaft of each removable jack and provide stability while the frame-mounted container, which can be a toolbox, is being raised and lowered. They can have multiple mounting holes to adjust to the different heights required to attach the frame-mounted toolbox to different vehicles. They can also have casters to help make attaching of the frame-mounted toolbox to the vehicle faster, safer, and easier.
The two adjustable stabilizer bars can be designed to fit at each end of the frame and may provide extra support by means of providing a stable adjustable contact point between each end of the frame and vehicle""s bumper. They may inhibit load shifting while frame-mounted toolbox is in transport.
As can be easily understood from the foregoing, the basic concepts of the present invention may be embodied in a variety of ways. It involves both piggyback carrier techniques as well as devices to accomplish piggyback carrying of containers with vehicles. In this application, the piggyback carrier techniques are disclosed as part of the results shown to be achieved by the various devices described and as steps which are inherent to utilization. They are simply the natural result of utilizing the devices as intended and described. In addition, while some devices are disclosed, it should be understood that these not only accomplish certain methods but can be varied in a number of ways. Importantly, as to all of the foregoing, all of these facets should be understood to be encompassed by this disclosure.
The reader should be aware that the specific discussion may not explicitly describe all embodiments possible; many alternatives are implicit. It also may not fully explain the generic nature of the invention and may not explicitly show how each feature or element can actually be representative of a broader function or of a great variety of alternative or equivalent elements. Again, these are implicitly included in this disclosure. Where the invention is described in device-oriented terminology, each element of the device implicitly performs a function. Neither the description nor the terminology is intended to limit the scope of the claims.
It should also be understood that a variety of changes may be made without departing from the essence of the invention. Such changes are also implicitly included in the description. They still fall within the scope of this invention.
Further, each of the various elements of the invention and claims may also be achieved in a variety of manners. This disclosure should be understood to encompass each such variation, be it a variation of an embodiment of any apparatus embodiment, a method or process embodiment, or even merely a variation of any element of these. Particularly, it should be understood that as the disclosure relates to elements of the invention, the words for each element may be expressed by equivalent apparatus terms or method termsxe2x80x94even if only the function or result is the same. Such equivalent, broader, or even more generic terms should be considered to be encompassed in the description of each element or action. Such terms can be substituted where desired to make explicit the implicitly broad coverage to which this invention is entitled. As but one example, it should be understood that all actions may be expressed as a means for taking that action or as an element which causes that action. Similarly, each physical element disclosed should be understood to encompass a disclosure of the action which that physical element facilitates. Regarding this last aspect, as but one example, the disclosure of a xe2x80x9cpiggyback carrierxe2x80x9d should be understood to encompass disclosure of the act of xe2x80x9cpiggyback carryingxe2x80x9d, such a disclosure should be understood to encompass disclosure of a xe2x80x9cpiggyback carrierxe2x80x9d and even a means for xe2x80x9cpiggyback carryingxe2x80x9d. Such changes and alternative terms are to be understood to be explicitly included in the description.
In addition, as to each term used it should be understood that unless its utilization in this application is inconsistent with such interpretation, common dictionary definitions should be understood as incorporated for each term and all definitions, alternative terms, and synonyms such as contained in the Random House Webster""s Unabridged Dictionary, second edition, are hereby incorporated by reference
Thus, the applicant(s) should be understood to claim at least: i) each of the piggyback carrying devices as herein disclosed and described, ii) the related methods disclosed and described, iii) similar, equivalent, and even implicit variations of each of these devices and methods, iv) those alternative designs which accomplish each of the functions shown as are disclosed and described, v) those alternative designs and methods which accomplish each of the functions shown as are implicit to accomplish that which is disclosed and described, vi) each feature, component, and step shown a separate and independent inventions, vii) the applications enhanced by the various systems or components disclosed, viii) the resulting products produced by such systems or components, and ix) methods and apparatuses substantially as described hereinbefore and with reference to any of the accompanying examples, and x) the various combinations and permutations of each of the elements disclosed.